Glossary
Art, AI & Printing Glossary
Every term we use on the site, explained. Written to be useful, not to pad search rankings.
A
Acid-Free
Acid-free materials are pH-neutral, meaning they won't yellow or become brittle over time from internal chemical breakdown.
Framing
Archival Paper
Archival paper is acid-free, lignin-free paper designed to resist yellowing and degradation for 100+ years under normal conditions.
Printing
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between an image's width and height, expressed as a ratio like 3:2 or 16:9.
Art Theory
C
Canvas Print
A canvas print is an image printed directly onto woven canvas fabric, then stretched over a wooden frame to mimic the look of a painting.
Printing
Color Gamut
Color gamut is the range of colors a device or color space can reproduce, typically compared against standards like sRGB or Adobe RGB.
Printing
Color Theory
Color theory is the set of principles governing how colors interact, combine, and affect perception in visual art and design.
Art Theory
Command Strips
Command strips are adhesive hanging strips made by 3M that hold picture frames to walls without nails, designed for renters and damage-free decorating.
Framing
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors are pairs of colors opposite each other on the color wheel — like blue and orange — that create high contrast when placed together.
Art Theory
D
D-Ring Hanger
A D-ring hanger is a D-shaped metal loop screwed into the back of a frame, used to hang the frame directly onto wall hooks or screws.
Framing
Diffusion Model
A diffusion model is an AI image generator that works by progressively removing noise from a random starting image until a coherent picture emerges.
AI Generation
DPI
DPI (dots per inch) measures print resolution — how many ink dots the printer lays down per inch of paper, where higher DPI means finer detail.
Printing
DTC (Direct-to-Consumer)
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) is a business model where a brand sells its own products directly to end customers, bypassing wholesalers and retailers.
Ecommerce
E
F
Float Frame
A float frame (or floater frame) is a frame style where the artwork sits inside the frame with a visible gap on all sides, making it appear to float.
Framing
Fulfillment
Fulfillment is the process of receiving, producing, packing, and shipping customer orders — the logistics layer of an ecommerce business.
Ecommerce
G
Gallery Frame
A gallery frame is a minimal, clean-lined frame style — typically thin profile, neutral color — designed to disappear and let the artwork speak.
Framing
Gallery Hang
A gallery hang is the museum-standard method of hanging artwork with its vertical center at 57–60 inches from the floor.
Framing
Gallery Wall
A gallery wall is an arrangement of multiple framed pieces hung together as a composition, ranging from tight grids to salon-style clusters.
Framing
Generative AI
Generative AI refers to machine-learning systems that create new content — images, text, audio — rather than only analyzing existing data.
AI Generation
Giclée Print
A giclée print is a high-resolution fine-art inkjet print made with archival pigment inks on acid-free cotton or alpha-cellulose paper.
Printing
Golden Ratio
The golden ratio (approximately 1:1.618) is a mathematical proportion often considered aesthetically pleasing and used in composition and layout.
Art Theory
GSM (Paper Weight)
GSM stands for grams per square meter, a measure of paper weight where higher numbers mean thicker, more substantial paper.
Printing
Guarantee Policy
A guarantee policy defines what a seller promises about product quality and remedies if the product fails to meet expectations.
Ecommerce
I
L
M
Mat Board
A mat board is a cardstock border placed between the artwork and the frame, providing visual breathing room and protecting the print from touching the glass.
Framing
Matte vs Glossy
Matte paper has a non-reflective surface that diffuses light, while glossy paper has a smooth coating that reflects light and boosts color saturation.
Printing
N
P
Picture Rail
A picture rail is a horizontal molding mounted near the top of a wall that supports hanging art via hooks and wire, avoiding nail holes in the wall.
Framing
Portrait vs Landscape
Portrait orientation is taller than wide; landscape is wider than tall. The choice shapes how the viewer's eye moves through the image.
Art Theory
Print-on-Demand
Print-on-demand is a manufacturing model where each product is printed only after a customer orders it, avoiding pre-printed inventory.
Ecommerce
Prompt Engineering
Prompt engineering is the practice of writing text inputs that steer an AI model toward the specific outputs you want.
AI Generation
R
Restocking Fee
A restocking fee is a percentage of the order value that some sellers deduct from returns to cover the cost of processing returned inventory.
Ecommerce
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that divides an image into a 3×3 grid and places focal points along the grid lines or intersections.
Art Theory
S
Sawtooth Hanger
A sawtooth hanger is a small toothed metal strip attached to the back of a frame that hooks onto a single nail in the wall.
Framing
Seed Number
A seed number is an integer that determines the initial random noise pattern for AI image generation, enabling reproducible outputs from the same prompt.
AI Generation
SKU
A SKU (stock keeping unit) is a unique identifier for each distinct product variant in an inventory or catalog system.
Ecommerce
sRGB vs Adobe RGB
sRGB is the standard color space for web and consumer screens, while Adobe RGB is a wider color space used in professional photography and print workflows.
Printing
Storefront API
A Storefront API is a programmatic interface (typically GraphQL or REST) that lets custom frontends fetch product, cart, and checkout data from an e-commerce backend.
Ecommerce
Style Transfer
Style transfer is a technique that applies the visual style of one image (like a painting) to the content of another (like a photograph).
AI Generation